As college freshman, we are forced to create a totally new way of life on our own. In a few short days, we find ourselves leaving the comfort of our homes, moving into our dorms, and forced to start life all over again in a completely unfamiliar place. For any person this is a scary transition, but for recent High School graduates, this transition is terrifying. College freshman are forced to start their lives all over again in a place outside of their comfort zones and are expected to be okay with the new situation. This transition is impossible to imagine when you have spent the past 4 years in a school with the same people around you all the time, and you have no idea how to prepare for it. Every student says they are ready for college, but in reality when they finally get there, they realize they were not as ready as they thought they were. Every college freshman faces the reality of life in a short amount of time.
1. Making New Friends
As you start your life over, the biggest part of starting college is making new friends to spend the next 4 years with. This is a well known struggle faced by every new college student, and it is completely normal. On your first day in college, every student struggles to find that one "perfect" friend that they're going to be friends with for the rest of their life, so you are not alone. If you find someone sitting around by themselves, or talking to another person, introduce yourself! You never know, you may meet your future spouse or your lifelong friend just by befriending the person sitting alone in the lunch room!
2. Adjusting to the New Environment
When spending a large amount of time in one place, such as high school, you become used to the environment around you. But when you start college, there is an entirely new environment that you are forced to fit in with right away. Many new college freshman face the struggle of adjusting to the new environment of college, and often do not know how to handle the pressure. Truth it, every other freshman is right there with you! To help you, find someone else going through the same situation, so basically any other college freshman! By talking to other people going through the same situation, you often find yourself come comfort in knowing you are not alone, and you often help each other adjust and you end up finding out that life is easier with some help.
3. Larger Workload
In college, the workload is a lot greater than that of high school, but not only is the workload larger, but the responsibility of completing the work is more demanding as well. In High School, your teachers would write down the homework, tell you the homework, and ensure that you have all the necessary materials to complete the homework. In college, professors put the homework in the syllabus, and you are expected to complete the homework on your own without any reminders or even being told. To help you out, try writing it all down in a planner or in your phone calendar and set reminders! This will help you stay organized and complete homework assignments on time. Also, cancel your plans to hang out with your friends the night you get an assignment, and start working on it! It is difficult to adjust as it is, being a freshman, do not add the pressure of procrastination to your stress level!
4. Sense of Homesickness
As you say goodbye to your life as it was, its time to say hello to a new life that you create on your own. But with this new life, you miss the life you used to live, which is totally normal! Just remember that it is okay to call home, and it is encouraged to go home to see family and friends when ever possible! Although leaving home may sound like a great idea in the beginning, eventually you start to miss everything your life used to be. It is totally okay and no one will judge you for being homesick!
5. Time Management
In High School, someone always told you what to do, and you always had teachers and parents pressuring you to get your work done. In college, professors do not constantly remind you to hand in your work, and your parents are not there to make sure you get your work done. It's time to figure out how to manage your time properly. Instead of making plans with friends, stay in and get your work done. Remember the workload is double, if not triple the amount of work you had in High School, and you need to make sure you get your work done! When you have free time, work on assignments, and only when you are completely sure you have completed all of your assignments, you can hang out with your new friends. Although this may not be the "Cool" thing to do, its the smart thing to do in order to succeed.
6. Being Forced into Full Adulthood
In just a few short days, you completely switch gears and change your whole life around, and within this changing of your life, you become a full-blown adult, although you may not want to be. You are expected to make good decisions for yourself, know what to do in each situation, and take care of yourself without guidance. Most grown adults find adulthood find this hard, how do us freshman feel! For those of you struggling with this, it is okay to ask for help! Call a parent, sibling, friend, or even see a counselor in college. They are there to help you when you have hit a wall and do not know what to do.
7. Organization
The secret to succeeding in college is being organized, and unlike in High School, you do not have people there to stay on top of you to make sure you stay organized. Being on your own for the first time, it is difficult getting organized and staying organized. As a college student, all you want to do is go out and have fun, but college is not about having fun. Your college years are supposed to be about finding yourself and learning to become what you want to do for the rest of your life. In order to accomplish this, it is crucial to stay organized and on top of your classes
8. Lack of Sleep
Homework, stressful 8 a.m. classes, and the struggle of trying to adjust to a new lifestyle will keep anyone awake at night! All college students, especially freshman experience that typical lack of sleep. It's completely normal when you are trying to get used to a new lifestyle and you do not know what you are doing. When you can try to sleep, take short 20-Minute naps during the day to rejuvenate your body and get the rest you miss during the night. If you find yourself staying up late at night to do homework, try starting assignments directly after classes, in between classes, and when ever you have downtime, and do not procrastinate your assignments so you don't find yourself up all night completing that assignment last minute. Sleep is an important factor in your learning ability, and if you do not sleep enough, you will not learn the necessary material needed to pass your classes!
9. No Money
With the new adjustments and payments for classes, it is a known fact that freshman have NO money. If you had a job as a high school student, starting college puts an added stress on keeping that job, with stressful classes, increased homework assignments, and difficulty adjusting to new situations. This can make keeping your job harder which would result in a loss of hours or your job all together. Try saving money as much as possible, for example, instead of going out to dinner, stay in and make something instead. Although you may be tired and lazy, it will help you in the long run!
10. Trying to Fit in
As a student in a new situation, it is important for you to make new friends that will be by your side for the next 4 years. Every college freshman wants to fit in with the other freshman and wants to be accepted, this added pressure can cause anyone to try to be something they are not to try to fit in. Don't ever lose sight of who you are! Find friends who will accept you for who you are and not who you pretend to be. The person who you first meet might not end up being your best friend, but if you remain true to yourself, you will meet your true best friend (s) and you will have a great time in college just by being yourself.
